As smoochielicious as it gets

Pre-Taiwan Thoughts…

What to expect? What to pack?

When I first confirmed my trip in May 2010, the first thing I checked is the weather in Taiwan during Oct - Nov period. So freaking happy it’s Fall during that time! :D But as the time came, the weather in Taiwan is getting colder that I’m freaking out cause I do not own any sweaters or even a long-sleeved shirt. I’m ‘scare of heat’ type of person! With only a newly bought long cardigan, leggings and a scarf to keep me warm, off I fly to Taiwan…

And I totally forgot about my feet. Pity my cold feet. 

My trip is ‘semi’ free and easy. 5 days with tour, another 5 days on my own.

The itinerary provided by the tour agency was pretty …… 

Day 1: Taoyuan                                                                                          

Day 2: Taoyuan - Taipei - Taoyuan

Day 3: Taoyuan - Taipei - Taoyuan - Taichung

Day 4: Taichung - Taipei - Taoyuan

Day 5: Taoyuan - Malaysia

So, my colleague and me read up a lot on Taiwan and started to arrange our own itinerary. Our itineray ended up with 1 day with tour, 9 days on our own. Haha..

So, our plan was..

Day 1: Taoyuan - Taipei

Day 2: Taipei

Day 3: Follow tour

Day 4: Taichung - Alishan 

Day 5: Alishan - Chiayi - Kaoshiung

Day 5: Kaoshiung - Hualien

Day 7: Hualien - Taipei

Day 8,9,10: Taipei

Until the week before we fly off, the tour agency changed the itinerary! Like change a lot of it!    -______________- FOL.

Somemore, we were so busy that week we had no time to reorganize our itinerary and had to cancel off the hotel reservation in Alishan. T_T

The final story: We ended up followed the tour for 5 days and the rest of the days were pretty much impromptu.

The final itinerary as below:

Day 1: Taoyuan Airport - XingTian Temple (行天宮) - Shihlin NM (士林夜市)

Day 2: CKS Memorial Hall (国立中正纪念堂) - Matyrs’ Shrine (國民革命忠烈祠) - Le                 Coral Le Pearl - Leofoo Village Theme Park (六福村) - FengJia NM (逢甲夜市)

Day 3: Sun Moon Lake (日月潭) - Window on China (小人國)

Day 4: YehLiu Geopark (野柳) - WuFenPu (五分埔) - Taipei 101 - XiMenDing (西門町)

Day 5: Kaoshiung - Dream Mall (夢時代購物中心) - Former British Consulate (前清打狗           英國領事館) - Love River (爱河) - LiuHe NM (六合夜市)

Day 6: Ciaotou Sugar Refinery (橋頭糖廠) - Lotus Pond (蓮池潭龍虎塔) - Taichung -             FengJia NM (逢甲夜市)

Day 7: Taipei - ZhongShan Metro Mall (中山地下街)

Day 8: Jinguashi (金瓜石) - Jiufen (九份) - MiaoKou NM (廟口夜市) - Carrefour (家樂             福)

Day 9: Danshui (淡水) - Fisherman’s Wharf (淡水漁人碼頭) - XinBeitou (新北投) -                 ShiDa NM (師大路夜市) - Shihlin NM (士林夜市)

Day 10: Taipei - Malaysia

We had to eliminate Alishan and Hualien due to the bad weather. Even our local tour guide advised us not to visit those areas. Well, next time then.

With just a backpack, off I fly to Taiwan…

Packed like this cause we thought it will be easy to move around, since we will be going to different cities. It was pretty heavy as the day went. T_T Should have brought a trolley bag. 

But still ok la, get to experience to be a backpacker with a backache. =((

Alright! Day 1 in Taiwan will be up next!

Day 1 : Taoyuan Airport - XingTian Temple (行天宮) - Shihlin NM (士林夜市)